Review: 'Existential Labyrinths': Vicious or Virtuous Circle?

Review Written by Kristin Fouquet

In Julian Gallo’s compelling novel Existential Labyrinths (Palm Frond Tea, 2018), the nameless protagonist and narrator is a writer struggling in existential crisis. He hates his job. His hot and cold relationship with a young painter named Julia is maddeningly frustrating. He becomes disillusioned with his native New York City and its denizens. His own vicious circle, his cycle of ever-questioning himself and art and its purpose, distracts him from writing his novel. The solution he fixates on is running away to Paris to retrace the steps of his literary heroes.

I was reminded of two other novels while reading Existential Labyrinths. I found myself comparing the Julia in this book with the Julia in George Orwell’s 1984. Although they have purportedly been involved for three years, the protagonist in Gallo’s novel regards his relationship with Julia as temporary, much like Orwell’s Winston views the affair with his Julia. I wondered if this narrator would have to give up his Julia to save himself. The other book I recalled was Jean-Paul Sartre’s first novel, Nausea. In Sartre’s story, the protagonist and narrator, Antoine, is in existential crisis and decides in the end to move to Paris to write a novel.

As I read Gallo’s intriguing book, many questions arose. While he blames Julia, his job, and many other external factors for his unhappiness and lack of productivity, can he get outside of his own mind — perhaps the real culprit — enough to finish his novel? Is Julia real or a metaphor for muse? While he longs for Paris, could it cure him of his existential crisis or would it be a case of wherever you go; there you are? Could the novel I am reading be the one he is writing?

Reviewed by Kristin Fouquet

Existential Labyrinths is available here.